Process and apparatus for the production of artificial filaments



Oct. 5 1926.

H. B. ROY- PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS iied March 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

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H. B. ROY

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS Filed March 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HECTOR BUCHANAN ROY, 0F DERBY, ENGLAND, ASSIG'NOR TO THE AMERICAN CELLU- LOSE AND CHEMICAL A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, 01 NEW YORK, N. Y.,

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AETIFIOIAL FILAMENTS.

Application filed March 2, 1921, Serial-No. 449,189, and in Great Britain March 26, 1920.

This invention relates to a new or improved process and new or improved apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetate, nitrocellulose or other cellulose derivatives containing volatile liquids, by methods in which these solutions are spun or extruded into .the atmosphere. In such methods, owing to the necessity for protecting the solidifying filaments from air currents and damp or other detrimental atmospheric influences, and of preventing escape and loss of the volatile solvents or diluents employed in'the spinning solutions, the spinning machine or metier comprising one or more sets or groups of nozzles or spinnerets, the number and arrangement of which vary in different systems of apparatus, is enclosed in a protecting casing or chamber, from which the vapours of the volatile solvents liberated by the filaments are evacuated and usually recovered, warm dry air being generally led through the chamber or casing to facilitate evaporation of the volatile solvent or diluent from the filaments and carry it away. The extruded filaments either singly or more usually associated together as threads, are led, with or without twisting, to bobbins, reels or winding devices on which they are wound in preparationfor other operations.

Hitherto it has been the practice to enclose the winding apparatus appertaining to a given spinning machine or number of spinning nozzles or devices, in the casing or chamber therewith, it being considered that this was an essential condition for efficient recovery of the volatile liquids from the filaments of the s uirted solutions and for the preservation o safe and innocuous conditions in the working room.

1th such arrangements the machines or apparatus are very difficult to handle from the point of view of labour and technical production, owing to the frequent necessity of opening and closing the casings in attending the winding apparatus and to the dis turbance thereby introduced by the frequent admission of external .air; also freedom, of action in regard to the adoption of a variety of devices is prevented in a closed system comprising the winding apparatus;

Such an arrangement involves much inconvenience and expense in industrial. practice, where there are many spinning machines or units in the room or building, and it is desirable to utilize the floor space to the fullest extent and distribute the necessary driving power to the machines as simply and economically as possible. This result cannot be attained with the arrangements above referred to, where the drive has to be transmitted to the winding apparatus enclosed separately with each of a number of spinning machines as mentioned.

Now we have found by experiment and trials that the winding apparatus for the threads or filaments can be located outside the enclosing casing of the spinning machine and a substantially complete evaporation of the volatile liquid or liquids be effected from the threads or filaments before they issue from the casing before passing to the winding apparatus. According to the invention, therefore, after effecting a substantially complete evaporation of the volatile-liquid or liquids from the filaments in the enclosing casing of the spinning machine, we lead the threads or filaments out of the casing and wind them on winding apparatus located outside the casing.

Thus the winding a paratus can be rendered independent of the spinning machine or metier, and a free hand be obtained in regard to the nature, arrangement and driving of the winding apparatus. Thus for example any number of spinning machines can be arranged in one or more rows or lines, or otherwise, with their winding mechanisms located outside them in alignment or otherwise, and the drive can be simply and conveniently imparted to the winding mechanisms by belts, cords or otherwise from the power or transmission shafting of theroom,

or the winding mechanisms appertaining respectively to any number of spinning machines on one fioor may be located on a floor above or below; or the spinning machines may be grouped or arranged in any other desired way relatively to the winding mechanisms. v

The casing of the spinning machine or metier may also if desired be made smaller or more compact, having no longer to accommodate the winding mechanisms andtheir driving gear.

To effect the necessary evaporation of the volatile liquid or liquids from the filaments,

these will pass for a suflicient time exposed to the evaporative influences in their travel 1 from the spinnerets in the casing before issuing from the casing. The necessary time of 1. such exposure varies with the boiling points and quantity of the volatile liquids used in the solutions, the denier of the filaments,

.be spun at a high speed and need only travel a relatively short distance in the casing. By way of examplewe have found that in most cases the volatile liquids are sulficiently evaporated and the filament-s sulficiently solidified by a travel of one to two seconds exposed to a warm air current of aboutto C. in the casing.

The orifices or passages through which the filaments or threads issue from the easing should preferably be small or otherwise so arranged as to admit but little external a1r.

The invention includes enerally spinning filaments or threads according to the process described, and apparatus generally wherein the winding apparatus for the filaments or threads is located outside the casing or chamber containing the spining machine or the spinnerets producing any given number of-filaments or threads.

The term winding apparatus includes any form of apparatus which winds up the filaments produced, whether on bobbins or the like or on banking rollers, drums or frames and Whether without or with twisting.

4 Suitably driven'waste drums may be arranged in the casings below the spinnerets to catch and wind up thefilaments in case of breakage In one form of apparatus according to the invention, an enclosing casing is employed having lazed or transparent walls or windows, an the spinnerets of the ma chine or unit are arranged in a transverse row or rows or otherwise in the upper part of the casing, any usual or suitable means being provided for passing a current of warm dry air up through the casing and forcarrying off at the upper part the vapors liberated from the filaments. Below the spinnerets, and extending for about the full width of the casing, a waste drum or aligned serles of waste drums is transversely mounted, preferably hollow or built up (not solid) and made of wood or like material, the shaft.

extending. out through'bearings or closely fitting openings inthe casin and being driven by a belt or otherwise suitabl so that on starting, or in the event of the aments breaking at the spinnerets or otherwise in the"casing the can be caught on the drum or drums an wound up thereon. Said drum or drums is preferably driven at 'a linear speed corresponding to the speed of travel of the filaments fromthe spinnerets to the winding apparatus outside the casing. From the spinnerets the filaments are led downwards in the casing convergently so as to associate them together-in threads, each of which is led round or over a suitable guide or guides which may be revolubly mounted so as to avoid friction, and thence out through a small aperture in the wall of the casing to winding apparatus outside. The said guide or guides may be located in the aperture or apertures through which the filaments leave the casing, or when the associated filaments pass round or over more than one guide in the casing, the last of each series of these may be placed in the issue apertures. Other arrangements may of course be employed.

Any desired number of' spinnerets or groups of spinnerets may be disposed in line or otherwise in one casing, and the filaments therefrom, associated into a number of threads be led through corresponding apertures or passages -in the casing to winding devices therefor located outside the casing. A common waste drum may be disposed below a long row or rows of such spinnerets] or groups of spinnerets to catch and wind up broken filaments therefrom.

The accompanying diagrammatic drawings illustrate by way of example one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 1, is a front elevation representing a portion of a metier with the winding apparatus'situated outside, only some of the spinning nozzles and their appertaining solution feeding devices and winding devices being shown and the front of the metier casing bein removed.

Fig. 2 is a section at right angles to Fig. I through the metier and winding apparatus.

1 represents the metier casing of wood or other suitable material and having a raised platform 2 at the back for the operators attending to the nozzles and solution feed apparatus. Any desired number of spinning nozzles 3 are mounted in a row in the upper part of the metier, each being formed with a number of spinning orifices to form ,a corresponding number of filaments to be associated as a thread T. Fig. 1 shows only one section of the metier, which may com-- i,eo2,125

by a valve 7 From the auxiliary headers 6 the solution is delivered to each nozzle 3 by a pipe 8 and a pump 9, a filter being disposed before the nozzle in the known Way, and valves 10 being fitted in each pipe 8 for cutting out the respective nozzles.

11 (Fig. 2) is a window which may be provided in the'easing at the rear of each pair or other number of nozzles for inspection and access to the nozzles and 12, 13 are windows similarly provided in the front of the casing for observing the run of the filaments. In the front wall of the casing open ings such as 14 are provided in each compartment 1 1 1 for the issue of the thread of associated filaments spun by eachnozzle, these being led out through guides or eyes such as 15 disposed in the said openings. I

16 (Fig 2) represents a friction driven waste drum extending horizontally through all the compartments of the metier, or it may be a series of friction driven waste drums, one in each compartment 1" 1 1 thereof, such drum ordrnms serving for catching and winding up the filaments on breakage or when they are not being .wound up by the winding mechanism. 17 represents one of a row of hinged doors in the back of the metier casing (one for each compartment) for giving access to the waste roller and 18 is one of a similar row of hinged doors in thefront of the metier casing for giving access to the filaments for leading them out through the guide 15 and opening 14. I v 4 19. (Fig. 2) is an air heating chamber in the lower part of the metier casing and extending under all the compartments 1 1 1.

. this chamber communicating at top with these compartments and at bottom with an air inlet casing controlled by a damper for dampers by handle 20. The air heating "chamber 19 is heated by steam tubes 21 or other suitable means.

22 are baffles for the air passing up through the heater. Each end of the heater 19 is. closedby a cover plate such as 19 Fig. 1. The hot air rises through the compartments of the metier and the solvent vapours liberated from the filaments are drawn away through a suitable number of outlets such as 23 at the top.

One outlet may serve a number of. compartments ofthe metier by providing dampers or other suitable means between the' compartments served by such outlet.

The winding mechanism is carried by end frames 24 outside the metier casing and extends the full width of the metier or it may extend alongand serve several metiers. 25

is the driving shaft mounted in the end frames 24 and receiving the drive bya chain wheel 26 (Fig. 1) on this shaft. From the driving shaft 25 the shaft 16 of the waste bar 54 in the '62. on the bars 50, 50

drum (or drums) 16 is driven through a friction dum (or line of friction drums) 27 on a shaft 28 extending through the metier casing and driven by rope pulleys 29, 29 on the shafts 28 and 25 respectively and rope 30 at each end.

3131 are a line of feed drums or drawing rollers, or itmay be one continuous feed drum or drawing roller, mounted on a shaft 32 on the end frames 24 in front of the thread outlet openings 14 and driven from the main shaft by chain wheels 33, 34 and chain 35 at each end. On each end of the feed roller shaft is also mounted a chain wheel 36 which transmits the drive through a chain 37 andchain wheel 38 at each end to a shaft 39 common to all-the pumps 9 of the metier which shaft drives each pump through toothed wheels 40, 41. 42 is a ten-v sion regulating pulley for chain 37. Another chain wheel 43 on the godet roller.

shaft 32 is connected by a chain 44 to a chain wheel 45 on a stud shaft 46 in the end fran'ie. I

4747 are a number of vertical bobbins corresponding to the threads T to be wound, these bobbins being passed on to the winding spindles 48 and resting on plates 49 which drive them through drag washers or other wise by friction. The spindles 48 are mounted in bars or rails 50, 50 fixed to the end frames 24 and are driven by whorls 51, 51 on the spindles through cords 52 passing round pulleys '53, 53 on the main-driving shaft 25. v

54 is a traversing bar for the threads passing on to the bobbins the traversing motion being derived from heart'cams 55, 55 on a shaft 56 mounted in the end frames and driven from the main shaft 25 by chain gear 57, 58. 59 at each end, the heart cams imparting the rise and fall 'to the traversin known way through rocking levers 60 and pokers 61 working in guides 63 is a guide rod around which the threads are led from the feed rollers 31 before passing over the traversing bar, this guide rod being mounted at each end in a bent arm 64 pivoted on a rod 65 mounted in the end frames '24.

The threads of associated filaments pass out of the openings 14 over the feed or godet rollers, down round the guide rod (33 and over the traversing bar 54 to the bobbins, which are changed as filled.

The waste drum or drums and the feed or drawing roller or rollers are driven atisuitable speeds according to the speed of extru sion and speed of winding of the threads.

The feed or drawing rolleror rollers may .be driven at the same. speed as that'of exnism may be disposed outside the casing "of the spinningmachine or machines between the same and the winding up apparatus, such for example as guiding, feeding, drawing or twisting devices for the filaments.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Process of manufacturing artificial silk and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetates or other cellulose derivatives, comprising discharging the solution as filaments into a current of heated air secluded from the atmosphere, conveying [them continuously through said secluded air current whereby they are solidified by evapoiation of solvent contained in them, and

filaments continuously out of said secluded.

air current and winding them up mechanically in the atmosphere outside same.

3. Process of manufacturing artificial silk and like threads from solutions of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives, comprising discharging the solution as filaments down into a current of heated air secluded from the atmosphere, conveying them con-.

tinuously down through said secluded air current whereby they are solidified by evaporation of solvent contained in them, associatingthe filaments to threads in said air current, and thence conveying the threads continuously out of said secluded air current and winding them up mechanically in the atmosphere outsidesame.

4. In apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives, by evaporation of sol vent, an enclosing metier casing, spinning jets located in the'upper part'of said casing, outlets for the threads or filaments, located in the casing below said jets, guides to direct the threads or filaments to said out: lets, means for passing heated air through said casing. winding apparatus located out side the casing, and means toconduct the threads or'filaments from the outlets to the winding apparatus. a

5. In apparatus for the manufacture of artificial slik and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivativesby evaporation of sol-- vent, an enclosing metier casing, spinning jets located in the upper part of said casing, outlets for the threads or filaments, located in the casing below said jets, guides to direct the threads or filaments to said outlets, means for passing heated air through said casing, winding apparatus located outside the casing, and a drawing roller for the threads or filaments, located outside the easing between the same and the winding apparatus.

6. In apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives by evaporation of solvent, an enclosing metier casing, spinning jets located in the upper part of said casing,

outlets for the threads or filaments, located in the casing below said jets, guides to di rect the threads or filaments to said outlets, means for passlng heated air through said casing, winding apparatus located outside the'casing, means-to conduct the threads 'or laments from the outlets to theiwinding apparatus. a waste roller disposed in the metier casing below the spinning jets and driving means for said waste roller.

7. In apparatus for the manufacture of artificial silk and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives by evaporation ofsolvent, an enclosing metier casmg, spinning ets located in the upper part of said casing,

outlets for the. threads or filaments, located inthe casing below said jets, guides to direct the threads or filaments to said outlets, means for passing heated air through said casing, winding apparatus located outside the casing, a drawing roller for the threads or filaments,'located outside the casing be-- tween the same and the winding apparatus, a waste roller disposed in the metier casing below the spinning for said waste rolle 8. In apparatusfor the manufacture of artificial silk and like threads or filaments from solutions of cellulose acetate or other cellulose derivatives by evaporation of S01- vents, an enclosing metier casing, partitions whereby said casing is divided into cells,

spinning jets located in the cells of, said' casing in the upper part of said casing, outlets, for the threads or lfilaments located in the cells of the casing below said jets, guides to direct the threads or filaments to said outlets, means for passing heated air throughjets, and driving means 

